A PROMINENT councillor has been called before the standards committee after claiming £8,510 in childcare allowance over the last nine months.

But housing chief, Carol Broad, insists she has done nothing wrong and claims the publicity surrounding her case is "a witch-hunt."

The Independent councillor told The Citizen that two of her three children have special needs, and that one needed full-time care.

She also explained that up to £2,000 of her childcare costs were incurred while she was working for the Local Government Association and could be claimed back.

She insists that she took advice from officers at every stage but the scale of Cllr Broad's allowance claims, November's bill totalling £1,323, has angered other councillors who have called for her resignation.

"Yes I've claimed for my childcare and asked for guidance on what I could claim at every stage," said Cllr Broad.

"I've done nothing wrong but because of the smear stories my reputation is in tatters. I don't mind people taking a pot shot at me but I'm devastated that my children and family have been dragged into this."

Asked about some of the large sums included in her claim, she replied: "I know it's a lot of money but some of it can be claimed back. The other alternative is private care and that would have been much more expensive. My daughter currently needs full-time care at home and I've been working many, many hours for the council and LGA.

"I don't think women with responsibilities for dependent children should be barred from being a councillor. The only other option I have is to bring my children with me on council business."

The date of the standards committee has yet to be set but there are rumblings, even within her own group, that the authority will have to act.